Universal Language

Here at MD Anderson and the Ronald Mc Donald House, we have found of melting pot of many different nationalities and languages. We hear, all around us, giggles and laughter of little ones who speak words we do not understand. We simply know there is joy attached to the words.

There is also something else we hear from the parents of these little ones. It is grief. It sounds the same, no matter where you are from. Yesterday, I stood in the laundry room with a young mom, who in her beautiful broken English, told me about her eight year old son. His cancer had returned once again to ravage his little body. She searched for the right words in English to tell me that she could not find the words to tell her little boy the doctors had given up on him. There was nothing else they could do for him. The doctors told her and her husband, to take the limited time he had left, and try and find something fun to do with him and their daughter.

As I struggled to understand the individual words she was saying, I already knew what she was telling me. She turned and tried to hide her tears, only to find that mine had already begun. She did not need the correct words to say, I could see what she was saying in her eyes. I have seen that look countless times since I have been here. Its a look of recounting words about someone you love dearly, and hardly believing they are true, even after saying them so many times.

I had no wise words for this young mom, only tears. She let me hug her and we cried together.

Grief has a universal language...but so does caring and understanding.

My Devotional for today was on 2 Cor. 1:3-4 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ... who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God".

Dear Heavenly Father, I do not presume to know Your plan, but I know You have one. I plead with You Lord, for this little boy and his family, they need a miracle.

Lord we have been comforted by You and by those who love us. Please help us to comfort those who are in need around us.